‘Red Tide’ Killing Tasman Bay Fish

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30740, 3 May 1965, Page 9

‘Red Tide’ Killing Tasman Bay Fish

"The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON, May 2. The red tide, the plumcoloured sea bloom which kills fish, crayfish, and other marine life, has spread in Tasman Bay on the northernmost shores of the South Island, west of Cook Strait. Fishermen and farmers on D’Urville Island, between Nelson and Queen Charlotte Sound, have reported large areas of the red bloom offshore about the island’s harbours and coastline. This area, which carries a heavy fish and crayfish population, is about 40 miles to the west of Wellington. Crayfish, fish, and even octopus have been found cast ashore dead in places near Port Hardy, where the red tide is most abundant. A microscopic marine organism which numbers millions to a bucketful of sea water, the red bloom poisons areas where it suddenly appears. It is dreaded by fishermen all over the world and causes huge fish mortalities overseas. particularly in South Africa. It was last seen in big concentrations in Cook Strait about five years ago. Intensive searches were carried out by air and sea to check on this oceanic killer. The then professor of zoology at Victoria University (Professor L. R. Richardson) made aerial surveys in the strait in his efforts in the research. This time D’Urville Island fishermen and farmers say the Marine Department is asking for samples of the bloom to be sent to Wellington for analysis. Communications in the area are sketchy and infrequent and subject to weather. So far, according

to residents, no sample has been sent In the last outbreak the red ; tide bred through Cook Strait ■ from Farewell Spit, Nelson, Wellington Harbour to Palliser ; Bay. It followed a long, win-ter-calm sunny period. A similar fine, calm, sunny i fortnight has just ended. Fishermen say their nets, ■ crayfish traps, and lines are i heavily encrusted by red dep- . osits which form up to 3in . thick on a half-inch diameter ; line.